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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25476604">F The Prom</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw'>justanoutlaw</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Swanfire Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Once Upon a Time (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Prom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:16:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25476604</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanoutlaw/pseuds/justanoutlaw</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal finds out he’s going to prom in an interesting way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Emma Swan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Swanfire Week 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1847452</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>F The Prom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Day 5 of Swanfire Week: “Fake Dating/“Since when are we going to prom?” “Shit. I forgot to ask you””</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Neal walks into "Glass Slipper Boutique" nodding to Mrs. Herman. She simply points him in the direction of the dressing rooms, as if she knows why he's there. Neal has only been to this shop once, when Papa married Belle and he got dragged to a dress fitting. Now, he's gotten an SOS text from his best friend followed by a location. He left his bio homework and drove over, still confused.</p><p>As he walks to the back, passing ruffles, lace and taffeta, he finds no one there. He pulls out his phone and texts Emma.</p><p>
  <em>I'm here.</em>
</p><p>One of the doors opens and Emma emerges. Neal's lips tug up. He's known Emma since they were babies. His earliest memory is 3 years old, but there's an embarrassing bath in the sink at 6 and 8 months respectively that proves him wrong. Growing up, Emma has rarely worn a dress. Maybe to Christmas dinners or if she goes to the police man's ball with her parents and brother. But typically, she's in plaid and torn jeans.</p><p>Now, she wears a red, almost wine colored, dress. It's got straps but is sleeveless. The dress is floor length with a slit down the legs to show them off. Her recently dyed brown curls are clipped up and she's even wearing a bit of mascara and lip gloss.</p><p>Neal's best friend is beautiful. He's known that for years now, but it's hard to avoid in this moment. She's pulling a total "She's All That" moment with that dress and makeup. It's just not fair.</p><p>"What do you think?" Emma blurts our, walking over to three way mirror. "I feel ridiculous."</p><p>"You look great," Neal says, earnestly.</p><p>Emma scoffs, looking over her shoulder. "You have to say that, you're my best friend."</p><p>"Nah. You really do. What's the occasion?"</p><p>"Prom. My mom was supposed to come but then Jake got the flu and she had to take him to the doctor. So she gave me the credit card. Probably for the best. But I also didn't know what to pick. This is the fourth dress."</p><p>"Seriously?" Neal didn't take Emma to be the type to fuss over prom dresses. He thought she'd grab it and be done.</p><p>"I just don't want to look stupid."</p><p>"Well, I think you look gorgeous."</p><p>Emma's cheeks tint with blush. Neal smiles and claps a hand on her bare back.</p><p>"You'll have to wear a matching vest according to my mom," Emma says.</p><p>Neal arches an eyebrow. "Since when are we going to prom?"</p><p>Emma grimaces. "Shit, I forgot to ask you."</p><p>Neal raises an eyebrow. "Emma."</p><p>Neal hasn't been planning on prom. It isn't his thing. He doesn't like dancing, the music is lame. He'd much rather spend the money on a concert. He didn't even think that Emma would want to go. There are other senior experiences they can do with their friend group. Skip day is coming up, as is the yearly trip to Six Flags. They don't need a stupid dance.</p><p>"Look, my mom wants me to go and I sort of want to, too.</p><p>"So, you go."</p><p>"The problem is, she kept bugging me to get a date. She wants me to have this great prom experience like she did. I kept telling her I'd just go with Alexandra and Lily as a group but that wasn't good enough. Finally, I blurted out that you asked me."</p><p>"Emma!"</p><p>"Well, it worked! She was so excited. And I like seeing her happy."</p><p>Neal sighs. Emma is really close with her parents, which he can somewhat relate to but still. He didn't want to go. She should've ran it by him.</p><p>"I'll pay for it all," she continues. "You just have to show up."</p><p>"I don't know, Emma. It's just a lame dance."</p><p>"But it'd mean a lot to me." She juts out her lower lip and clasps her hands. "Pleaseee."</p><p>"Come on, you know that doesn't work."</p><p>"You're the bestest friend in the whole world."</p><p>And that's how 2 months later, Neal stood in the Nolan's living room with his dad, step-mom, the Nolans, the Pages, the Hermans and Lily and Alexandra's dates. He does indeed wear a black suit his papa helped him pick out with a red vest that matched Emma's dress. Mary Margaret snaps a million pictures, while Jake Nolan plays a video game on the couch. The dads talk about how fast their kids grew up. Elsa Arendelle, Lily's date, shies away from the crowd while Zeke, Alexandra's, sips a flask. Neal shifts back and forth, wondering how much longer.</p><p>Finally, he can hear a door open upstairs. Alexandra comes down followed by Lily. Their parents and dates swarm them with pictures, hugs and kisses. Emma is last. Her hair falls down, curled more than usual tonight and it falls down her back. Her mascara makes her green eyes pop and her red lipstick matches her dress.</p><p>Neal steps away from the chaos and extends his hand. "You look perfect," he whispers.</p><p>"You clean up great," she mumbles in return. "Thank you for doing this."</p><p>"Anything for you, Emma. I mean it."</p><p>They look at each other, a warm feeling taking over Neal's stomach. He doesn't care about the flashbulb going off, he keeps his hand in Emma's. Right now, she's all that matters.</p>
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